Kaya Sees the World, Chap. 6
Before I start this chapter, I want to say thanks to Nogard and Renegade Seraph for reviewing this story. In fact I wrote Chapters 1 + 2 and forgot about it for a long time - after the first review reminded me about it I had to actually rewatch Princess Mononoke to refresh my memory. Thanks guys!!
Now to start the story:
Kaya's days in Irontown had fallen into a routine. She spent her nights in the women's' cabin and during the days, helped with working the bellows and various other tasks. Once in awhile she would take a walk through the forest, but had not seen San, nor had she asked Ashitaka or anyone else about her.
She saw Ashitaka from time to time, usually during mealtimes, but they rarely spoke, even then. Kaya wondered about her royal family back at home and wondered if they had sent out a search party for her. She briefly toyed with the idea of sending them a letter to tell them that she was well, but knew it would only lead to her returning and marriage to Taro. The name still sent a shiver down her back.
She had never asked Ashitaka about San, nor did he tell her anything about her.
She had found herself spending a good deal of time with Lady Eboshi. Despite her missing arm, the young woman was proving more and more agile by the day (and seemed to depend less and less on Gonza). Kaya had often noticed the women making fun of him, and Lady Eboshi admitted to telling them that men could not be trusted. Gonza did not seem to find this funny. In fact, it seemed to Kaya that she had never seen him smile, but these days he seemed to be in a particularly bad mood. If Lady Eboshi noticed, she made no comment.
Often Lady Eboshi invited Kaya over for tea, and over a period of time she told Kaya the story of what had happened when Ashitaka had first come. Kaya made polite comments at first, listening carefully for any hint of San, the wolf girl, but eventually worked up the courage to ask about her.
"The Princess of Beasts." Lady Eboshi looked away from a moment before her gaze returned to the teacup, which her hands cupped. "Ashitaka.I suppose he always had something from her from the very beginning, but it took her awhile to return those feelings. She and I were archenemies for a long time.both trying to kill each other. Since I." she looked down at her stump of an arm-".since we rebuilt Irontown, I have not seen her, but we seem to be on fairly good terms. At least we're not attacking each other anymore," she said, a faint trace of a smile on her lips now.
Kaya smiled too, but it did not mask her true expression of seriousness. "Lady Eboshi.if you don't mind telling me, why did you and San want to kill each other?"
Lady Eboshi smiled thinly. "It was my fault, I suppose.and a long story behind it. To make it short, San was desperate to protect the forest, and she was angry with us for having killed so many animals and destroying the forest. Do you remember the boar?"
Kaya thought back to that fateful day five years ago and shivered. "Yes.I do." Lady Eboshi turned her head, her eyes deep and troubled. "He was Lord Okkoto.who became a demon.we were responsible for that as well, I suppose.then we tried to kill the forest spirit.San was desperately against that as well, but fueled by the anger from the deaths of our men caused by her wolves.we pushed on."
Kaya came closer and put her arm around Lady Eboshi. Smiling, the young woman returned the gesture, the tea forgotten.
Gonza walked in at this time. "I believe they have designed yet another rifle for you to inspect, Milady. They are requesting your presence."
"Thank you, Gonza." Lady Eboshi rose to her feet. "Kaya, I will speak with you later. Thank you for stopping by."
"It was my pleasure," said Kaya.
No sooner had Lady Eboshi left did Gonza turn on her with an evident glare. Kaya didn't notice; she was turned around and was clearing the table.
"Never mind that. Leave at once."
Kaya was not used to Gonza's harsh tone and turned around to face him, surprised. "But-"
"Get out."
Only too glad to obey despite her confusion, Kaya hurried out. Just outside the cabin, she saw something tiny and white and got down on all fours to inspect it.
It was one of those creatures she had first seen in the forest, a tiny thing with a human-like body and three holes in its head. She watched in suspense, expecting its head to spin around, but instead the lowest hole took on a crescent-moon shape facing downward, giving the face a terrified expression. The creature turned and ran towards the forest, magically vanishing as it ran.
Kaya wondered what it could possibly mean as she walked away.
Kaya borrowed Yakkul and mounted him, planning to go out into the forest, but a voice stopped her. She turned to see Lady Eboshi and Gonza walking towards the bellows. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something was gravely disturbing about that sight. She turned Yakkul around and silently followed them at a distance.
They entered the house containing the bellows and Kaya followed. Instead of following the hallway that would have led to where the women worked, they took a different passage-one that Kaya had never noticed existed before. Lady Eboshi didn't seem surprised, however, and this puzzled Kaya.
The door at the end opened into a room of flames-Kaya's first impression. In a moment she realized that this was where the actual fire was. There was space around the fire, and Gonza led Lady Eboshi in.
Kaya heard Lady Eboshi's voice, now full of confusion. "Here? What could you possibly wish for me to see here, Gonza?"
"Just over here-there's a bit of a hazard, Milady-look down there-"
Lady Eboshi stepped closer and glanced down where Gonza was pointing. Kaya opened her mouth to scream as Gonza's arm extended out toward her, but it was too late.
It was just a little nudge in the right direction.
Before I start this chapter, I want to say thanks to Nogard and Renegade Seraph for reviewing this story. In fact I wrote Chapters 1 + 2 and forgot about it for a long time - after the first review reminded me about it I had to actually rewatch Princess Mononoke to refresh my memory. Thanks guys!!
Now to start the story:
Kaya's days in Irontown had fallen into a routine. She spent her nights in the women's' cabin and during the days, helped with working the bellows and various other tasks. Once in awhile she would take a walk through the forest, but had not seen San, nor had she asked Ashitaka or anyone else about her.
She saw Ashitaka from time to time, usually during mealtimes, but they rarely spoke, even then. Kaya wondered about her royal family back at home and wondered if they had sent out a search party for her. She briefly toyed with the idea of sending them a letter to tell them that she was well, but knew it would only lead to her returning and marriage to Taro. The name still sent a shiver down her back.
She had never asked Ashitaka about San, nor did he tell her anything about her.
She had found herself spending a good deal of time with Lady Eboshi. Despite her missing arm, the young woman was proving more and more agile by the day (and seemed to depend less and less on Gonza). Kaya had often noticed the women making fun of him, and Lady Eboshi admitted to telling them that men could not be trusted. Gonza did not seem to find this funny. In fact, it seemed to Kaya that she had never seen him smile, but these days he seemed to be in a particularly bad mood. If Lady Eboshi noticed, she made no comment.
Often Lady Eboshi invited Kaya over for tea, and over a period of time she told Kaya the story of what had happened when Ashitaka had first come. Kaya made polite comments at first, listening carefully for any hint of San, the wolf girl, but eventually worked up the courage to ask about her.
"The Princess of Beasts." Lady Eboshi looked away from a moment before her gaze returned to the teacup, which her hands cupped. "Ashitaka.I suppose he always had something from her from the very beginning, but it took her awhile to return those feelings. She and I were archenemies for a long time.both trying to kill each other. Since I." she looked down at her stump of an arm-".since we rebuilt Irontown, I have not seen her, but we seem to be on fairly good terms. At least we're not attacking each other anymore," she said, a faint trace of a smile on her lips now.
Kaya smiled too, but it did not mask her true expression of seriousness. "Lady Eboshi.if you don't mind telling me, why did you and San want to kill each other?"
Lady Eboshi smiled thinly. "It was my fault, I suppose.and a long story behind it. To make it short, San was desperate to protect the forest, and she was angry with us for having killed so many animals and destroying the forest. Do you remember the boar?"
Kaya thought back to that fateful day five years ago and shivered. "Yes.I do." Lady Eboshi turned her head, her eyes deep and troubled. "He was Lord Okkoto.who became a demon.we were responsible for that as well, I suppose.then we tried to kill the forest spirit.San was desperately against that as well, but fueled by the anger from the deaths of our men caused by her wolves.we pushed on."
Kaya came closer and put her arm around Lady Eboshi. Smiling, the young woman returned the gesture, the tea forgotten.
Gonza walked in at this time. "I believe they have designed yet another rifle for you to inspect, Milady. They are requesting your presence."
"Thank you, Gonza." Lady Eboshi rose to her feet. "Kaya, I will speak with you later. Thank you for stopping by."
"It was my pleasure," said Kaya.
No sooner had Lady Eboshi left did Gonza turn on her with an evident glare. Kaya didn't notice; she was turned around and was clearing the table.
"Never mind that. Leave at once."
Kaya was not used to Gonza's harsh tone and turned around to face him, surprised. "But-"
"Get out."
Only too glad to obey despite her confusion, Kaya hurried out. Just outside the cabin, she saw something tiny and white and got down on all fours to inspect it.
It was one of those creatures she had first seen in the forest, a tiny thing with a human-like body and three holes in its head. She watched in suspense, expecting its head to spin around, but instead the lowest hole took on a crescent-moon shape facing downward, giving the face a terrified expression. The creature turned and ran towards the forest, magically vanishing as it ran.
Kaya wondered what it could possibly mean as she walked away.
Kaya borrowed Yakkul and mounted him, planning to go out into the forest, but a voice stopped her. She turned to see Lady Eboshi and Gonza walking towards the bellows. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something was gravely disturbing about that sight. She turned Yakkul around and silently followed them at a distance.
They entered the house containing the bellows and Kaya followed. Instead of following the hallway that would have led to where the women worked, they took a different passage-one that Kaya had never noticed existed before. Lady Eboshi didn't seem surprised, however, and this puzzled Kaya.
The door at the end opened into a room of flames-Kaya's first impression. In a moment she realized that this was where the actual fire was. There was space around the fire, and Gonza led Lady Eboshi in.
Kaya heard Lady Eboshi's voice, now full of confusion. "Here? What could you possibly wish for me to see here, Gonza?"
"Just over here-there's a bit of a hazard, Milady-look down there-"
Lady Eboshi stepped closer and glanced down where Gonza was pointing. Kaya opened her mouth to scream as Gonza's arm extended out toward her, but it was too late.
It was just a little nudge in the right direction.